One Yankee's love for history, food & hitting the road.

Category: Sandwiches

Like many vegetarians, I spent the first 5 years of my new lifestyle buying boxes of meatless burgers from the grocery store, clumsily figuring out how to cook them without them falling apart or tasting like a tasteless old sofa cushion. Then I started buying them in the “prepared food” and deli section of Whole Foods, but those also weren’t by dream burger. They were too mushy and thick with vegetables I didn’t like, things like carrots and sprouts (yes, we’ve covered this…I am the world’s worst vegetarian).

Progress came when I started eating the homemade Black Bean Burger at the Highland Kitchen in Somerville, MA. Thick and chunky with black beans and topped with guacamole, pico de gallo, and jack cheese, it had all the flavors I craved, but it was a mess. Part of eating it was picking up your fork at the end of the meal to scoop up the dozen generous bites that had plopped onto the plate while you were trying to keep the bun closed by fusing all ten of your fingers together around it. Trying and failing.

Knowing I wanted a burger that was beany and spicy, but also durable, I got into the kitchen and started experimenting. Like soup, veggie burgers are very adaptable, so I don’t think I’ve ever made a matching batch since I got the basics of my recipe down, but they have all been delicious.

Here’s what I do.

I pulse together black beans, corn, onions, peppers, mushrooms, and jalapeno (sometimes also cilantro, but not in this photo) a few times in a food processor until it looks like this:

Then I add some oatmeal and an egg to help bind the mixture together. You could get creative with the oatmeal part and experiment with other swaps…like rice or quinoa.

I pulse the oatmeal and egg with the veggies and beans until the mixture is the consistency I want. How long you pulse it here will determine how “chunky” your final burger is.

I’ll admit it ain’t pretty, but stick with it.

The mixture is transferred to a bowl, where more beans, corn, seasonings, and breadcrumbs are added. You can make your own breadcrumbs or use a traditional version, but I like Panko-style breadcrumbs because they are crispier which gives the burger a better texture. You can also go wild with the seasonings here. I usually do a few dashes each of garlic powder and red pepper flakes, then more (maybe 8 each?) dashes of chilli powder and cumin. Sometimes I add some smoky chipotle seasoning I have.

After it’s all mixed together you can shape it into balls, then lightly flatten them with your palm into patties. I use a plastic-lined ramekin (or custard cup) as a mold so I get a perfect, uniform shape and size every time.

The best way (in my opinion) to cook a veggie bean burger is on a skillet drizzled with olive oil. Because these babies don’t have any of the natural “grease” found in meat, you’ve got to add a little of your own to get a nice sear. You could still cook them on the grill, but they will need a little more care to make sure they don’t fall apart, and the texture will be drier.

On this day a whole-wheat bun, bed of greens, squirt of ketchup and generous handful of sliced red onions turned my veggie bean burger into a meal.

Pick up and dig in.

I love these things. I make a batch, eat one, then individually wrap the rest on plastic wrap and store them in an old breadcrumbs canister in the freezer (they fit perfectly) so a delicious, healthy, spicy, beany, burger is never far away.

Put 2/3 of the black beans, 2/3 of the corn, and all of the onion, pepper, jalapeno, and mushrooms into a food processor or blender. Add the handful of cilantro leaves.

Pulse a few times until the mixture is combined, then add the oatmeal and egg. Pulse again until it’s the consistency you want – more for a smoother texture, less for a chunkier texture.

Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and add the remaining 1/3 each of the beans and corn, breadcrumbs, and seasonings to taste. If the mixture seems too wet, add more breadcrumbs.

Place a skillet over medium heat and drizzle with olive oil.

Form the mixture into patties by using your hands or a plastic-lined ramekin mold. (For the latter, place plastic wrap over a ramekin, then add a few heaping spoonfuls of the mixture and press into the ramekin. Lift the plastic up and gently remove the patty from the plastic.)

When the pan is ready, cook the burgers, being careful to turn them gently with a spatula. Make sure they have a good “seared” bottom before you flip them to help them keep their shape.

Long story short, I saw a meaty version of this sandwich on Serious Eats and immediately started dreaming about the caramelized onion jalapeno combination, and the dream refused to die. It’s as simple as that.

Hedging my bets that I could make a decent swap using thick strips of portabella mushroom, I decided to give it a try for lunch last weekend.

A few years ago I heard about a “mock” tuna salad recipe using mashed chickpeas. It’s eerie, but the chickpeas do have a bit of a tuna taste and aroma. You wouldn’t mistake it for the real thing, but it’s still delicious. I have updated the recipe over the years to suit my taste based on the way I used to make tuna salad.

Mix everything together and then get out the potato masher to break down the chickpeas. You can mash them first if you want, or pulse them a few times in a food processor, but I like mashing everything together the old-fashioned way.

Once the consistency is to your liking, get your bread of choice, lettuce, and potato chips ready.

Yes, I said potato chips. For saltiness and crunchy texture, I love a few kettle-cooked potato chips on this kind of “salad” sandwich.

Not too many, mind you, and make sure you press down on the top slice of bread a bit to break the chips before you bite.

Then, my friends, you are ready to eat a mock-tuna salad sandwich. The chickpeas lend a hearty, nutty flavor while the mustard gives it a kick. The celery, onions, and potato chips provide the crunch. You bring the appetite.

Combine all ingredients and mash the chickpeas with a potato masher or fork.

I suggest enjoying chickpea salad on a bed of lettuce, topped with potato chips. I am sure, however, that it would taste just as great if you made substitutions based on however you normally enjoy tuna salad.

Now that we are finally enjoying some beach and picnic weather, I thought it would be a good time to celebrate that most famous of portable meals…the sandwich!

Are you a sandwich fan? Of course you are. The beautiful thing about sandwiches is that they are for everyone – young or old, rich or poor, peckish or famished. Whatever or whoever you are, right now there is a sandwich with your name on it.

Not sure what you’re in the mood for? I suggest you peruse the informative, entertaining, and beautifully photographed new book “The Encyclopedia of Sandwiches” by Susan Russo, with photos by Matt Armendariz.